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MANAGER'S THOUGHTS…
Can you believe it’s already September?! It won’t be long before the days will start getting a little
cooler and the evenings will come a little sooner. The crisp, clear blue skies filled with white puffy
clouds and the golden sun on the marsh grass make the change of the seasons from summer into fall
my favorite time of the year in Carteret County. There’s a certain ambiance that settles over the market
this time of the year. We’ve made it through the hot summer months filled with adventure, busyness,
and guests from everywhere and are moving into a quieter season of celebrating hometown, seasonal,
simple pleasures. The market is a safe place for you to enjoy outdoor, local shopping at its best. Our
local vendors will stock their booths every Saturday with abundant in-season veggies and other farm-
fresh products, local seafood, baked goods hinting of cinnamon spice, and artisans with handmade
treasures waiting to become the perfect gift for you or friends and family. We all look forward to seeing
you under the oaks at the market and to you becoming a part of the market magic!
Two Very Important Folks!
As you can probably imagine, it takes a team of folks to make the Olde Beaufort Farmers’ Market
happen! What you see on Saturday mornings on the courthouse grounds is simply the result of hours
of work by lots of people. Two very important people on this team are Gus Stoehrer, our Saturday
Market Assistant, and Suzy Lewis, our Social Media Maven.
Gus is the man! He delivers the market trailer to the courthouse grounds every Friday afternoon, sets
up tents, handwashing stations, market flags, trash cans, sandwich boards, unloads the market
merchandise from the trailer, helps vendors with their setups, and is the market’s heavy lifter!
He’s the best!
Suzy’s job is never ending! She works all week long to keep the OBFM Facebook and Instagram
pages updated with posts from vendors and she creates posts that inform our friends of everything
going on with the market. She helps to design and create the market website and the new OBFM
newsletter, The Market Monthly. She helps to deliver the market goals, mission, and messages
to folks with a genuine dedication to the success of the market, and she takes lots of photographs
that we use to publicize the market. Her work is at the core of everything that promotes and informs
the public of the news, interests, activities, and events integral to the OBFM!
She’s the woman!
Sea to Table Dinner is Cancelled
We’ve had to cancel our Sea to Table Dinner for this year, not because there’s no seafood, but because
this type of gathering is not permitted at this time. We always look forward to this special evening
celebration of delicious food, provided by the market’s farmers and fishermen, and served up with
loads of community fellowship at sunset on the Harborside Park deck. We hope to host both of our fine
dinners next year.
Our Joke of the Month!
Find the answer below!
Vendors in the Spotlight
The OBFM vendor family is composed of passionate farmers, foodies, and artisans. They take pride in
their products and their small businesses which they bring to the courthouse grounds on Saturday
mornings. This month we spotlight these vendors.
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Kara Varner: Goodness Grace Us
Kara has been with the Olde Beaufort Farmer’s
Market since 2017. She works out of her home
in Morehead City, NC.
“ I took a living history class in Beaufort on
paper bead making in 2014. My imagination
went through the roof and Kara Creations which became Goodness Grace Us, (that’s another
story), was born.
I have adapted this old art form - from the
1800’s - as a creative outlet and expression of
my love for combining colors and textures. I
create one of a kind jewelry using paper beads
and paper components that I make. I also have
a fascination with textiles....ie., my rag baskets
and fabric twine jewelry. I am a work in progress, continuously evolving.
I am so proud of all the good and worthy things
the market does. I meet the nicest, most
interesting people from all over the world. I am honored, humbled and happy to be a part of the
Olde Beaufort Farmer’s Market family and to be
doing what I love.”
Bert, Carl, and Justin:
"We are a small family farm located in
Bogue, NC serving up some of the finest
fruits & veggies on the east coast.
We specialize in hydroponic greens &
vine production and are constantly working
to expand our line of offerings.
Our commitment is to provide you, our local
community, with nutritious, responsibly grown
produce you can feel good about eating & that
makes you feel good long after its gone."
“After moving to Morehead City, my Mom and I wanted to do something different and
comfortable. The pants that my Mom sews are a differentiated version of harem pants. The characteristics of the pants are that their waist is made of round thin elastic which doesn’t cause discomfort because it easily conforms to the
waist of the wearer. Later, we expanded our
collection with beach dresses for people to wear
on top of their swimsuits or with jeans and tank
tops, made using Turkish towels.
Beyond apparel, I also make pictures using
pebble stones, sea glass, broken pieces of
pottery, etc. Most recently, I started making
greeting cards for many occasions using the
same pebble stones, sea glass, and buttons.
We love to be here at The Olde Beaufort
Farmers Market, among friends, under the giant
oak trees and with our customers who some of
them became friends. We’re grateful for their
support and friendship.“
Alexia Chianis:
"Inspired by the beauty of the NC coast and
fueled by the desire to build a business my kids
could take part in, I launched Sea Oats Candle Company in 2017. What a fantastic few years
we’ve had – and much of our success stems
from our participation in the Olde Beaufort
Farmers’ Market. Thank you for your support!
Our 100% soy candles (poured in 100%
recycled sea-glass-look tumblers) are the heart
and soul of our business, but we also offer
body/room sprays, lotions, soaps, and more. All
Sea Oats products are hand-crafted with the
highest quality ingredients and subtly scented to
enhance your space and body, not overwhelm
them with fragrance. Affordable yet luxurious,
we like to say they’re the next best thing to
a day at the beach! I look forward to seeing you
soon “under the oaks.”
Jasmine Davis: Paradise Produce
Jasmine Davis, a native of Carteret County,
began Paradise Produce in Atlantic with a
desire for the outdoors and a zeal for investing
in others. The name Paradise was birthed from awareness of immersion within present
moments, based upon a spiritual quote. Holding
a respect for Mother Earth, Jasmine practices responsible growing using sustainable methods
to ensure the pure, high vibrational energy of
each fruit and vegetable remains intact. She
takes great pride in being part of the OBFM
family and considers the market a valuable
asset to surrounding communities. In her opinion "supporting local, small businesses not
only pours into the passions of fellow neighbors
but allows the consumer a deeper, meaningful experience with each purchase. They truly are
taking home a piece of love.”
Chris Hunter: Chatham Hill Winery
Chatham Hill Winery was established in 1999 as
the first winery in the Raleigh/Durham/Chapel
Hill area. Its mission is to produce distinctive, handcrafted wines of high quality and purity
from grapes grown in North Carolina. Majority of Chatham Hill wines including Chardonnay,
Viognier, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and
Cabernet Franc are handcrafted from the best
quality grapes from growers in the Yadkin Valley
AVA.
"Our wines are produced using traditional
methods. We believe the combination of our
wine making skills and philosophy will yield a
premium wine, a goal to which we are
passionately committed."
Chatham Hill winery has been a proud
participant of the Olde Beaufort Farmers Market
for several years. We enjoy coming each week
and meeting all the wonderful people at the
market. So if you are coming out Saturday
morning under the majestic Oaks, please stop
by our tent to sample some of our fabulous
wines and say hello to Michelle and Chris.
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Recipe Sharing
Of course the market is full of vendors supplying fresh veggies, meats, and other homegrown products
that can be combined by novice cooks or accomplished chefs to create delicious dishes for those who
prefer to eat from our local food sources. This food is grown sometimes hydroponically, sometimes organically, sometimes in raised beds or in long tractor-plowed rows, free range, and always cultivated
with lots of TLC. Elizabeth Gould loves fresh tomatoes and uses them to make her scrumptious tomato
soup, complete with other unexpected veggies for a quick summertime meal. She’s sharing her recipe
with you in hopes that you will enjoy it too.
A Quick Summer Tomato Soup
This soup has the flavor of fresh summer tomatoes along with the char and depth of fire-roasted canned tomatoes. Enjoy it hot or chilled.
½ C chopped onion
½ C chopped red bell pepper
3 cloves garlic, minced
½ C pesto sauce (store bought or make your own with fresh basil from the market)
2 14.5 oz cans no-salt-added fire-roasted diced tomatoes, undrained
2 C chopped fresh tomatoes
½ C chopped cooked sweet potato
1 15 oz. can no-salt-added navy beans, rinsed and drained (1 ½ C)
2 ears fresh sweet corn, husks and silks removed, kernels cut off cob (1 cup)
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste.
1. In a large pot cook onion, bell pepper, and garlic, over medium heat 3 to 4 minutes or until tender,
stirring occasionally and adding water, 1 to 2 Tbsp. at a time, as needed to prevent sticking. Add
canned tomatoes, fresh tomatoes, and sweet potato. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer,
uncovered, 5 minutes.
2. Using an immersion blender, blend soup until it is mostly smooth with some chunks. Stir in beans,
corn, and pesto sauce; heat through. Season with salt and pepper.
Serve with hot crusty breadsticks and a green salad for a delicious, quick, and nutritious summer
meal! 35 min. / Makes 7 cups of soup
Market Volunteers
You know those smiling folks who man the Welcome Tent at the opening of the market every Saturday morning? Well, they are our awesome volunteers!!! This year, even in spite of covid-19, they have shown up to welcome locals and visitors alike, to distribute masks, to sell t-shirts, posters, and shopping bags, to answer questions, and to simply be available to help ensure the success of the market. You may even see Bette and Adeline delivering our yard signs around Beaufort on Friday mornings! Our volunteers’ time and work are crucial to the operation of the OBFM and we so appreciate them! Many, many thanks to Elizabeth, Beth, Sarah, Mary Ann, Adeline, Inez, Bette, Heidi, and Peter from all of us.
The Book Wagon: A great idea which has stood the test of time
The Book Wagon: A great idea which has stood the test of time.
What better way to leisurely thumb through gently used books to find just the right fit than to come to the market where the Book Wagon will now be stationed. Every Saturday morning from 9 til 1 you can browse thru the books, sit on the courthouse steps in the shade to read a while, or bag your choices as you traverse through the entire market.
For a little history, in 1961 a group of local women founded the Friends of the Carteret County Library. Their goal was to provide funding for special programs and purchases. The Friends’ group has helped purchase needed equipment and has supported activities such as--The Summer Reading Program, Let’s Talk About It, and The Storytelling Festival.
Around 1990, the Friends lost their usage of the Old Beaufort Train Depot where they held their book sales; this is when the Book Wagon’s story begins. David Pleace, a local engineer, proposed a design for the wagon which was quickly adopted. He and Bill Hubbard built the wagon in their backyards. The wagon is stocked and manned completely by volunteers who were organized for the first ten years by Nancy Wolfe.
Today the Book Wagon is more than just a place to purchase used books. It is loved by locals and tourists alike, and it has become a symbol of Beaufort’s friendly and welcoming character. The Book Wagon is stocked with books for all ages on all subjects and the prices can’t be beat~ $2 for hardbacks and $1 for paperbacks. We are now pleased to be a new part of the Olde Beaufort Farmers’ Market. You’ll find us parked down near the Broad St. side of the courthouse each Saturday morning. Come over and check us out, you might find just the book you have been wanting!
T-shirts For All
Don’t you need an Olde Beaufort Farmers’ Market t-shirt?? We have nice t-shirts, 100% cotton, in
a whole rainbow of colors, all emblazoned with our groovy logo! You can find these at the market in the Welcome Tent, on the left as you enter from the corner of Turner and Broad Sts., lined up and waiting
for you to snag one. All sizes are available from XXX to S for men, ladies, unisex, and kids too! You
can’t beat the price at $10 for round neck and $12 for v-neck. Long sleeves will also be available, currently on a limited basis. Purchase a shirt and wear it with pride, showing your support for our
sweet little community market.
Social Media Maven: Bytes and Pixels
Greetings Everyone! The ultimate success of social media lies in those who participate and it thrills me that we have built a vibrant social media program. We have 5452 followers on Facebook and we are growing every day! Our posts have become a hub of information about our market culture, support for our small businesses and our community. You can find us on Facebook, Instagram, and our website.
The website has been redesigned this season which features resources to help you access our vendors, The Friends of OBFM which are our wonderful sponsors, and other important announcements of current events. Currently on Fridays, we publish a series of posts listing vendors for the Saturday market, baker’s Bistro Board Menus, farmer’s produce in season, meat, protein providers and artisan products, so you can plan your shopping lists. We have expanded the visibility of OBFM to a tri-state area readership, folks planning a visit to OBFM as a destination for travel, regular weekly shopping at the market and support for our programs. Several national publications have noticed us through our online posts and this spring we were included in Southern Living's article on "Farmers Markets of the South". Upcoming in October, we have been selected to do an Instagram Takeover for Farmers Markets Coalition page to tell them all about us!
A big thank you to all who participate in our social media! Together is a word that includes you, our community and your response has been phenomenal! I look forward to your suggestions and seeing you at the market!
